GPD Officer Involved Shooting Update

Published December 14th, 2012

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GAINESVILLE FL-- A Gainesville police officer is on administrative duty, and a man is in the hospital after a police chase and shooting yesterday. Investigators are piecing together the incident to find out why the officer felt compelled to shoot. One witness who lives near by,Connie Kurtz, said she "heard him say please stop your vehicle and turn off your ignition and he just kept coming." Peering through her window ini northeast Gainesville, yesterday afternoon, Connie Kurtz saw the whole thing. Living in the same place for 27 years, she thought it was odd to hear police sirens ringing down her street. Everything she saw next shocked her. In her own words she described the sceene; "he was reversing his car, then came around this corner and the cop on the inner-com said, please stop your car and turn off your ignition, and the guy kept going he revved the engine and just kept going. and then the cops shot five or six times." Police were initially called to the duval neighborhood to break up a fight. Twenty four year Old Ronnie Williams was sitting in his car when he was approached by police. They say Williams bumped two officers with his car. Officer Wilfredo Perez then pulled his gun out, and Williams fled. Leading police on a pursuit down east university avenue and onto southeast 73rd Terrace. Believing he hit a dead end, Williams then turned down this dirt road, backed out and then was face to face with police. According to police officer perez exited his vehicle and instructed williams to get out of his car. But instead williams moved forward. Officer Ben Tobias said, "there was no avenue to escape at that point, and his only avenue was to fire multiple shots into the vehicle, he struck williams multiple times- williams was the only occupant of the vehicle." The only sound Kurtz heard was, "bop bop bop and thought oh god they just shot him." Now, with one man in the hospital, officer perez is on administrative duty as gpd launches a full investigation. Williams suffered multiple bullet wounds but is expected to survive his injuries. he was said to be lucid this morning. He will face charges of fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault and battery on a law enforcement officer.